Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge

Dust filled the screen, and fine sand trickled down from above.

"Is it over?"

"It seems so..."

"That hidden boss was terrifying. Just its scream made me shudder."

"I didn't dare open my eyes, afraid I'd see Ethan Walker's corpse."

"Is Ethan Walker still alive?"

"He should be..."

Ethan Walker lay on the ground for a long time, so long that the viewers in the livestream thought he had perished, before he finally propped himself up on his hands and rose. "Pfft, cough cough..."

He coughed twice, waving away the dust in front of him, apparently having inhaled some.

Ethan Walker got up from the ground and looked for William Anderson. William was pinned under two slabs of stone, luckily forming a triangle that didn't crush him. Ethan Walker pulled him out. "Am I... am I dead?"

William opened his eyes wide, disbelieving.

"Yeah, you're dead."

Ethan Walker teased him annoyingly.

William jerked in shock, hastily checking his own heartbeat and body temperature. Thankfully, he was still alive.

"Um, Brother Walker, my sister-"

"Big brother."

A large painting, adorned with vivid colors, fell from the wall, revealing a dusty figure behind it. Despite being covered in dust, her beauty was unmistakable.

Emma Anderson didn't cry; instead, she smiled brightly, despite the dirt on her face and hair.

"I knew you would come to save me."

William's eyes reddened as he helped his sister up from the ground.

"I'm late."

Emma shook her head, patting her brother's arm, signaling him not to worry.

She smiled at Ethan Walker with her almond-shaped eyes.

"Thank you too, Brother Walker. I know you went through a lot to enter this hidden storyline."

Ethan nodded, not modest at all.

"That's right. If it weren't for your brother's payment, I would have run away."

But he was curious.

"You knew what was happening outside?"

Emma nodded, then suddenly lowered her voice, turning away from the camera.

"I was hidden away."

With that, Ethan understood. There was only one person who could have hidden her.

Having successfully completed the hidden level, the surroundings morphed back to the rooftop. Olivia Parker was still being intimidated by Red. Judging by her disheveled appearance, she had been tormented quite a bit by Little Red Riding Hood.

"Just give me a quick end!" she said through gritted teeth.

Jane was nowhere to be seen. Ethan looked around but didn't spot her. Facing the detestable Olivia, he felt no inclination to finish her off. His mission was already complete, and he was too lazy to lift another finger. "Red, please take care of it."

With a scream from the boss, her wicked life came to an end.

This marks the true conclusion.

Little Red Riding Hood returned to Ethan Walker's side, nestling her hand in the comforting warmth of an adult's palm. Ethan Walker, holding her hand in one and pocketing the other, gazed upwards as the raven-black canvas of the sky gradually dissolved into silvery specks of light.

A silent shadow appeared beside him, but Ethan didn't turn; he knew who it was. "Thank you," he said softly. Jane, glowing faintly, looked as radiant and alive as she had in life. Grace Johnson had always been such a delicate and gentle soul. Had things been different, she could have had a long and fulfilling life.

In the brief respite as the game's scenery faded, their conversation was inaudible to the outside world. Ethan, still looking at the "stars," replied without turning, "You don't need to thank me. If I hadn't stubbornly perceived you all as emotionless virtual figures, this all could have ended sooner."

Jane shook her head gently. "It wasn't your fault; it was me trying to stop it." She looked off into the distance, as if revisiting a past memory. "I died humiliated, not wanting to harm the innocent. I was content to rot here with Olivia Parker, but I never imagined... I'd turn into such a monster. Maybe that's just how I am, grotesque and strange..."

"Grotesque and strange, so what?" Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. "Does appearing normal make one normal? I see everyone as the same - each person is strange in their own way."

Jane looked surprised, it was the first time she'd heard someone say this. "Do I look normal to you? I'm strange too."

Ethan Walker was always his unbothered self, indifferent to others' judgments and unaffected by anyone's opinion. ...Except for money.

He seemed to be gazing into the distance. Jane smiled faintly. "Then, goodbye, strange person. Perhaps we'll meet again if fate allows."

The specks of light dispersed, returning everything to silence. When the light returned, they were inside the brightly lit White Tower.

Alex Johnson, Emily Johnson, and Alexander Bennett were grouped together, looking anxious. Emily was pacing restlessly. "He's here!"

William Anderson, supporting his weak sister Emma, waved to the others. Alexander burst into tears upon seeing Emma, her friend. She had joined this perilous game for her friend's sake. Emily and Alex visibly relaxed, approaching to check on the Anderson siblings. Last to emerge was Ethan Walker, who collapsed to the ground as soon as he landed, startling the others.

Emily, closest to him, caught him. "Ethan? Ethan! Wake up!" The live chat panicked along with them. "What's wrong with Ethan? Is he hurt? Call an ambulance!"

The camera focused on Ethan's face, beaded with sweat, his lips pale, looking dire. "Quiet," he muttered irritably, unable to bear the noise, eyes still closed.

"He's just tired," Alex concluded, observing his complexion. The others finally relaxed. Having successfully completed the instance, it was time for rewards.

Since the only players left in the instance were Ethan, Emma, and Lucas, the rewards belonged to them. Lucas 's gift box was the smallest, but he didn't mind; saving his family was more important than any reward. Emma's was slightly larger than her brother's, and Ethan's was the largest.

After collecting their rewards, players could leave the White Tower. "I'll call a car," Emily volunteered, "But what about Ethan? Should we call an ambulance?"

"Oh, and his rewards, we should take them too," Alexander reminded.

"No need." A voice interrupted, and everyone turned to look. The largest gift box had been opened, with someone's head buried inside it, half of their body sticking out. "I can walk on my own."

The chat erupted with laughter. "Classic Ethan, always about the rewards." "Only rewards can wake him up." "This instance was tough, the rewards must be generous."

Ethan rummaged inside the box, finding numerous items: ten packets of 'Oddity Potion,' applicable to both NPCs and players; twenty large energy potions; three one-time-use shields; a teacher's cane; and a security guard's enamel bowl. The chat was puzzled by the eclectic mix, especially the last two items, but those who knew understood their value as weapons in the game.

As Ethan gathered his rewards, he thought the box was empty and prepared to leave. However, he accidentally kicked it, causing a painting to fall out. It was a pencil portrait of Grace Johnson.

"Ethan, you dropped something," Emily pointed out. Both squatted down to look. "A frame? What's its use?"

"I don't know," Ethan tapped the glass with his finger.

Suddenly, something huge burst out of the painting, blowing them backward. "Ouch

!"

Ethan clutched his head, about to investigate when he heard a loud, unpleasant voice: "Ethan!"

Startled, Ethan turned to find the hidden boss emerged. Emily exclaimed, "Damn, isn't that the hidden boss?" Ethan recalled Grace's words, "We'll meet again if fate allows" - he didn't expect it to be with her dark side!

The entity, resembling a ray fish draped in a white sheet, started crying. "Ethan, it's me, Jane! Don't you recognize me?"

"You are...?" Ethan was baffled, the crying giving him a headache.

"I'm not that ugly thing from the corridor," it insisted, "I'm a gift from the White Tower, specially made for you."

"A knockoff?"

"I'm high quality! I'm upset now!"

Ethan understood that the original harmful boss from the instance had been eradicated, and this new reward was a White Tower's data-copy version, albeit with some personality quirks. "Little Flower..."

"I'm Jane!"

"So, Little Flower, you're the final reward?"

"Yes! From today, I'm your subordinate, and you're my master. Whatever you need, just ask! But call me Jane."

"Sure, Little Flower."

Ethan stored the protesting entity as data in his bracelet, along with the other rewards. After doing all this, he finally succumbed to exhaustion and passed out completely.